Simple Halloween projects won't frighten you away

Get creepy with spider webs made from garbage bags, the creative genius of graphic designer Jessica Jones, who blogs at How About Orange.

Upcycled bones stay on the silly side of Halloween horrors. They are easy to make from newspaper, and the project, featured in Danny Seo's "Upcycling Celebrations," is kid-friendly.

Photo By Laura Moss

Get creepy with spider webs made from garbage bags, the creative genius of graphic designer Jessica Jones, who blogs at How About Orange. At left are Upcycled Bones from "Upcycling Celebrations."

Photo By Jessica Jones

A large plastic garbage bag, a pair of scissors and tape are all you need to make spider webs.

Zombies and ghouls prefer things a little funky, preferably with tatters and smudges. That makes Halloween a perfect occasion for do-it-yourself decorations.

We dug up a couple of simple projects that don't include frightful lists of materials or scary instructions. Children can help, or even complete, most of the steps, and you'll have most of the supplies at home.

UPCYCLED BONES

Designer and trash-to-treasure king Danny Seo describes his "Flinstonesque" bones as a foolproof project in his latest book, "Upcycling Celebrations" (Running Press, $18).

Materials

Newspaper

Masking tape

Plaster gauze strips (available at craft stores)

Bowl of water

Directions

Take several newspaper sheets and crumple, roll and twist into the shape of a bone.

Use masking tape around the center to help shape it and to hold loose edges.

Dip plaster gauze strips in water and wrap around the newspaper until the whole thing is covered.

Allow to dry.

SPIDER WEBS

Put a creative spin on paper snowflakes, and you have quick, cheap and easy spider webs. Graphic designer and How About Orange blogger Jessica Jones is the mastermind of this project. Find a diagram at www.HowAboutOrange.blogspot.com.

Materials

Black plastic garbage bags

Scissors

Clear tape

Directions

Lay a trash bag out flat and trim off the sides and bottoms so you have two big rectangles. Cut each into a square. It doesn't have to be perfect, Jones says.

Fold one of the squares in half diagonally to form a triangle.

Fold that triangle in half two more times. Use a few pieces of tape to fasten the layers on the loose side to help hold the slippery plastic while cutting.

Use a black permanent marker to sketch guides on the plastic. Draw a stem from the point to the edge of the triangle, then draw scallops coming of the stem.

Cut out the negative shapes and unfold. For a bigger display, tape several webs together.